Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Ending AIDS By 2030

By Michel Sidibé and
Isaac Adewole

The AIDS epidemic has defined the global health agenda for an
entire generation. The first AIDS-related deaths were diagnosed 35 years ago
and HIV rapidly became a global crisis. The epidemic threatened all countries
and had the power to destabilise the most vulnerable. By 2000, AIDS had wiped
out decades of development gains.

Today, many nations
have taken great steps in getting ahead of the virus. Nigeria, for
example, has reduced the number of new HIV infections from 240, 000 in year 2010 to 190,000 in 2015.
Estimated AIDS related deaths in the country declined from 160,000 in 2010 to 148,000 in 2015 while
new infections among children declined by 20% between 2010 and 2015. HIV
prevalence among pregnant women also has declined by 48.3% from 2001 to 2014.

Life expectancy has
risen in many of the most severely affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa as
access to antiretroviral medicines has expanded and testing and prevention
services have been scaled up. Worldwide, there are now more than 17 million
people living with HIV accessing antiretroviral medicines.

But as world leaders grapple with a growing number of global concerns and
threats, including terrorism, massive displacement, climate change and an uncertain
economic outlook – it would be a misstep to let up on the response to AIDS.
Here are three reasons why AIDS deserves continued attention:

1. To restore dignity, health and hope to the people left
behind in the AIDS response;
2. To build robust and resilient societies ready to face
future health crises ; and
3. To serve as a beacon for what can be achieved through
international solidarity and political will
Our generation has been presented with an opportunity that must not be thrown
away. We have the technology, medicines and tools to end the AIDS epidemic by
2030, avoiding more than 17 million new HIV infections and saving almost 11
million lives.

But it won’t happen
without sustained commitment, vision and leadership. There are major gaps in
the AIDS response and many barriers still stop people accessing quality health
care services.

Still around half of
the 37 million people living with HIV do not know they have the virus.
AIDS-related illnesses are the leading cause of death among women of reproductive
age globally and the primary cause of death among adolescents in Africa. Stigma and discrimination too often stop people
accessing health care, including HIV prevention and treatment services that
reduce new infections and save lives. In some regions of the world, the numbers
of HIV infections are actually increasing.

This week, leaders will gather at the United Nations in New York to agree a new Political
Declaration on Ending AIDS. A key element will be creating the conditions
necessary to achieve the UNAIDS 90-90-90 treatment target by 2020. This calls
for 90% of people living with HIV to know their status, 90% of people who know
their HIV positive status to access antiretroviral treatment and 90% of people
on treatment to have suppressed viral loads.

Meeting this treatment
target will set the world on course to ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030. But
bold leadership and stronger investment are required. By 2020, combined
domestic and international resources will need to increase by about one-third
to peak at an estimated US$ 26.2 billion to reach this target and realise the
vision of ending AIDS. A lack of investment now will result in the epidemic
being prolonged indefinitely and that would be a false economy.

Ending the AIDS
epidemic by 2030 is a central part of achieving the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals, the development agenda that world leaders signed up to last
September. In New York
this week, global leaders must underpin this generation’s commitment to ending
AIDS and deliver on their pledge to ensure healthy lives for all. AIDS is not
over yet but it can be.* Michel Sidibé is the UNAIDS Executive Director and Under
Secretary General of the United Nations.
Prof. Isaac Adewole is the Minister of Health, Federal Republic of Nigeria